Homeschool: How and Why At-Home Education Is Growing and Beneficial to Children

Photo credit: https://www.home-school.com/news/homeschool-vs-public-school.php

By Isabella Bagnaro

Education looks different to everyone; even school itself looks different to everyone. Your experiences are based on what you choose to do, who do it with, and where. While the first day of school to many may look like walking into a stuffy beige building with hallways compressing hundreds or even thousands of students every passing period, or cramming into an obnoxiously loud cafeteria, to others it may look like waking up, getting ready, helping your parents with chores, and sitting at the kitchen table with your mom and siblings while the smell of breakfast and freshly printed papers wafts through the air.

Homeschool is a vastly-growing form of education for many reasons. Families may choose to educate their children themselves for work/extracurricular opportunities, more focused learning, higher academic success, religion, personal disagreements with public education, among other reasons. I believe that homeschool is a beneficial and reliable form of education.

I would like to preface this piece by saying homeschooling isn’t for every family. My objective is to bring awareness, open conversation, and correct misconceptions on homeschooling itself. Not all families are capable nor is it in their best interest to do so, that is evidential truth.

What And Why

Homeschool is at its simplest defined as education that takes place in the home as opposed to a school, though the reality of that definition may be different depending on the family's choices or situation. In homeschool, learning is more flexible and may not be strictly taught in the home; sometimes it may take place at one (or both) of the parents' workplaces, especially if both parents work or own their own business. In rare cases, some parents even hire a third party to teach their children.

In the beginning of my childhood (Pre-K - 4th grade) I was homeschooled by my mom with the help of my dad. I grew up doing most of my coursework at home, but some at their doctoral practice as well. Learning in their office helped me gain crucial socialization with adults, which in the long run has proven to be fundamentally beneficial. In my younger years, when on a break from my work, I would often go into the waiting room to talk and read to the patients that were willing to engage with me. Being homeschooled also allowed my mom to begin to teach me to read at a very young age and encourage it daily, which still reflects in my academics to this day.

In my case, my parents chose to homeschool me for religious purposes, specified installment of core values, and the desire to spend more time with me. Though the reasons vary in each situation.

Results of a study on the growth of homeschooling in the U.S.

Photo Credit: https://www.nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/

Social Education And Experiences

The most prevalent and objectively the “biggest lie” against homeschooling is the socialization (or lack thereof) of the children involved.

Those who make this argument usually state concern on the basis that homeschoolers are not “properly socialized” because they aren’t in a building with thousands of other kids, six hours a day, for around 180 days per year (differs by state and length of school day). This misconception is usually accompanied by, or loosely based off of stereotypes. Homeschoolers are often regarded as “weird” or “unsocialized” and while that can happen, it just isn’t the truth in most cases.

“Obviously if you keep your kid just inside and you don't facilitate any kind of extracurriculars they aren't going to benefit from it. The benefit of homeschooling is the opportunities and the freedom and the flexibility,” said Brett Cooper, a former homeschooler.

In her feature with the Iced Coffee Hour Podcast, Cooper discussed her experience being homeschooled and how, despite homeschool being her primary source of education, she managed to be very socialized, and the amount of remarkable opportunities she had as a result. Cooper explained that being homeschooled actually gave her and her family the flexibility to participate and explore everything she was interested in.

“I had so much flexibility, so I was able to do everything I was interested in. I took art classes, I did gymnastics, I volunteered, and that was only because I had the time to do it; I wasn’t in school until three pm,” said Cooper.

Homeschool has a diverse structure, customizable to the family, which is one of its biggest appeals. If you have a child that works, volunteers, or has interests in different areas, as a parent you can mold the curriculum to fit their busy schedule.

There are many ways for homeschoolers to get connected with peers. There are a plethora of homeschool groups held by different organizations, and it is common for churches to have homeschool programs for kids to socialize.

A review of several studies done by the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) found that 87% of peer-reviewed studies on emotional, social, and psychological development show that homeschool students statistically perform significantly better than their peers in conventional schools. The research measures include peer interaction, leadership skills, family cohesion, self esteem, self-concept, and participation in community service.

The NHERI has also found that homeschool students are very involved outside the home. Their research has shown that homeschoolers are frequently involved in church ministry, scouting, 4-H, political drives, sports teams, field trips, and community volunteer work.

“The claim that homeschooled kids don't develop the ‘excellent’ social skills of public school children is absurd,” said Matt Walsh, a father of six homeschooled children.

Walsh followed this by explaining that when we measure social skills by esteem, how one carries oneself, capability of holding a steady and intellectual conversation (especially with adults), and heavy emphasis on social cues, homeschooled adolescents actually reflect better than their conventionally-educated peers.

“To the people who make this claim I want to ask you: have you spent any time you know in society? Maybe you’ve noticed that though we are a society mostly populated by people who have spent their formative years in public school we are also a society plagued by crippling anxiety, neuroses, ample insecurities, and all sorts of antisocial behavior?” said Walsh, “If public school is supposed to be such a good socializer, one wonders why it's done such a poor job of it. In the schools themselves we are told that bullying is an epidemic, and we know that drug and alcohol abuse are major problems.”

Walsh continued, explaining that the evidence points to public school as the environment that stunts the development of social skills, not homeschool. You may be wondering why that is? It’s because of social cues. Social cues in public education environments are learned and mimicked by students from students; yes there are teachers, but they are greatly outnumbered by the amount of children in their classrooms. The problem with this is that it is near impossible to learn a skill from someone who doesn’t possess the skill in the first place, let alone is also trying to learn it from the other party who is trying to learn it from them, resulting in a dysfunctional cycle. The success in learning these social skills form a child's perspective, and in this situation the child's happiness becomes dependent on their ability to fit with, or imitate, their peers.

“They’re looking to him for cues, he’s looking back at them, and together they travel around in circles, around and around going nowhere. All of the kids look to all the other kids for guidance, attention, and approval. This is socialization sure, but it’s a form of socialization uncomfortably reminiscent of Lord of the Flies,” said Walsh.

If this is the case in public education, what is the case in homeschool?

In homeschool, children are primarily accompanied by their parents and siblings. In this kind of familial environment there is a much better chance for this child to pick up on and develop social skills. When children spend this much time with their parents, they have the opportunity to seek them for approval, guidance, and aid when developing these skills. This is why, oftentimes, homeschoolers may come across as awkward or a little strange to their peers; it's because they are more socially developed and mature. Their skills are at this level because they have learned how to interact with others by imitating adults. While social maturity is great, it may cause homeschooled children to struggle a little when interacting with less mature peers, but in the long run the benefits are clear and sustainable.

“It's not like homeschool kids [pandemic notwithstanding] never spend any time with other kids, it's just that they don't spend all their time with other kids. That's a good thing,” said Walsh.

“Just sticking them in a concrete box from K to 12 with the same group of kids every single day is not a diverse social development no matter which way you spin it,” said Cooper.

Accumulation of data from various studies on homeschoolers social development

Photo Credit: https://www.home-school.com/news/homeschool-vs-public-school.php

As for the “weird homeschooled kid” stereotype, while yes I’m sure there are a few arguably “strange” kids that happen to be homeschooled, the reason for most “awkward” or “choppy” interactions with homeschoolers can be credited to the fact that children who are homeschooled are socially better equipped to interact with adults. This skill is vital in the long run and can help them succeed at a greater rate in anything from interviews to casual meetings with adults and professionals, but sometimes can cause minor difficulties connecting with their peers.

“Sure you may have met an awkward homeschool kid in youth group when you were in seventh grade, but if you can draw sweeping conclusions based on that anecdotal evidence what kind of conclusions should we draw about public schools based on quite a bit more evidence?” said Walsh.

“Again it goes back to the parents. If you are making this decision [to homeschool], you are not only taking on your children's academic life, you are taking on their social life, and you have to remember that,” said Cooper.

Family And Its Role In Homeschool

Family is a vital part of our world. A foundation, core value, and element of what shapes us into the people we become. Whether you come from a stable or shaky family background, the impact your family has on you is significant. Especially your parents.

From our first human touch, first steps, first fight with a friend, or even our first time behind the wheel, our parents are there to guide, teach, and educate us in how to live and become better human beings as best they can. So if our parents' lessons bleed into the essential areas of our lives, why don’t they pour into our education too?

While spending time with one's family daily may seem insignificant, it is crucial in shaping who children become, their values, and how they learn to interact with others.

“I had so much time with my family, I spent so much quality time with my brothers, my relationship with my mom is one of the things I’m most proud of,” said Cooper.

Cooper went on to say, “I inherited a lot of her values because of that, because I spent so much quality time with her that she was the one who raised me, not a teacher.” She elaborated on how children in public education spend much more time with teachers than their own parents over the course of what are considered to be one's most developmental years: “I think that’s something parents should be concerned about. Who is raising your kid at the end of the day? Whether it's the media, whether it's teachers. And my mom didn’t homeschool me because of that, but I think that is a result of this.”

I myself was homeschooled until the age of ten, and through my own experiences I can attest to the drastic way my relationship with my parents was impacted. The time I spent with my parents, especially my mother, who mainly taught me, undoubtedly shaped who I am now. From the amount of quality time (engaging without devices) I spent with her I learned many skills and picked up values that now serve as the foundational blocks of my personality and what I believe to this day.

A popular argument against homeschooling, especially in regards to parents teaching their children, is that parents aren’t qualified to teach their own children. I disagree with this statement wholeheartedly. I believe that parents should have the right to take control of their children's basic education, let alone be involved in it.

“What a child needs most of all is not tutoring from experts in every academic discipline-he's not going to receive that in public school anyway-but a personalized educational experience tailored to his own unique needs. Nobody’s better equipped to provide that than his parents,” said Walsh.

Learning Disabilities And ADHD

I was diagnosed with severe ADHD when I was four; thankfully due to NUCCA care and a type of “Brain Balancing” program for children with ADHD, I am now a very light case and was never medicated for it. All this being said, throughout treatment, ADHD has effects on your learning. Thankfully being homeschooled allowed flexibility in the curriculum so my parents could customize my learning to what I needed.

“Homeschooling has many advantages for the gifted and learning disabled child. The curriculum can be personalized to the child's strengths and challenges. Most children with reading disabilities will learn to read much faster in a one-on-one session, and you can pace the lessons to the child's abilities,” said Terrie Lynn Bittner.

Specifically in cases of children with ADHD, homeschooling can be a wonderful way to help them learn.

“Children with ADHD are not slow learners, nor do they all have learning disabilities--they just learn differently,” said Carolyn Barnes, a homeschool mom.

“Providing your child with ADHD an education that can be catered to their needs helps them gain confidence and perform better academically. Children with ADHD often have educational, behavioral, and social issues in school. In a traditional school setting, they have to navigate a classroom environment filled with multiple distractions and non-negotiable rules” (Time4Learning).

Academics And Ivy’s

One of the most commonly cited reasons for parents choosing to homeschool their children is so through a more focused education, they can achieve higher standards academically.

“According to a University of St. Thomas study, the graduation of homeschooled students could be up to 10% higher than that of public schools” (“Latest 35 Homeschooling Statistics: Discover the Data (2024) - Skillademia”).

When asked, Cooper discussed how she saw her and her homeschooled peers' academic reflection through her time as a homeschooler, “Academically our scores are off the charts, we’re getting into better schools. The Ivy Leagues seek out homeschoolers these days.”

Many studies by the NHERI have been conducted on this phenomena, and here's what they’ve found:

Homeschoolers average fifteen to twenty five percentile points higher on standardized tests than their public school peers. Studies have shown that homeschool students score above average on achievement tests, regardless of their parents incomes and level of formal education. It has also been found that homeschoolers' academic success is unrelated to state regulations.

Homeschool students have shown significant advances in discipline and independence.

“The smartest people I know in my life are homeschoolers. Because they advanced so quickly in their academic careers. Because they started working at a very young age, they are incredibly self reliant,” said Cooper.

Accumulation of data from various studies on how homeschooled children's academics are affected by external factors.

Photo Credit: https://www.home-school.com/news/homeschool-vs-public-school.php

Real World Application And Adult Success

Studies have also reflected that homeschoolers' success doesn’t stop at academics.

“They participate in local community service more frequently than the general population” (e.g., Seiver & Pope, 2022).

Studies have also found that adults who grew up homeschooled vote, attend public meetings, succeed in college, and internalize their parents’ values and beliefs at a higher rate.

Legality And Oklahoma Homeschooling Rights

Oklahoma is the only state with the right to homeschool in its State Constitution.

“As long as you homeschool for 180 days, you can legally operate a homeschool program following your own guidelines” (“Oklahoma Homeschool Laws | Understand Your Rights!”).

There are no statutes requiring specific school subjects to be taught, though many Oklahoma courts have recommended that parents teach the same or similar things being taught in public school education.

According to the OESE, Oklahoma does not have laws governing homeschooling. Homeschool students and parents are also protected by the compulsory attendance-law. According to this law a parent of a school aged child must not “neglect or refuse to cause or compel such child to attend and comply with the rules of some public, private or other school, unless other means of education [i.e., home schooling] are provided for the full term the schools of the district are in session.” O.S. §70-10-105(A).

Along with that, “Homeschooled students may not be detained for school truancy if found outside of the student’s home.” O.S. §70-10-109.

The OESE also states that there are currently no Oklahoma state policies on

Initial and Renewal Applications, Curriculum and Instruction, Assessment and Diplomas, or Public School Access.

One of the limitations and hardships for families homeschooling is that even if they were homeschooling their own children they would still have to pay taxes to the school district that they lived in, while paying for their children's education out of pocket.

In January 2024, House Bill 1934, a universal school choice bill passed in the state of Oklahoma, will take effect. This bill will allow for parents to choose how and where to educate their children as best they see fit, despite where they live. In America where you live determines where your child gets their education. While some public schools do well, others fall short. Wealthier families could afford to get their children into better education systems, while families financially struggling could not. This bill changes that.

“School choice gives families funds to pay for the education environment of their choosing. There are many different types of school choice programs, including Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), vouchers, and tax-credit scholarship programs” (“Oklahoma State Regulations - Office of Elementary and Secondary Education”).

This legislation gives Oklahoma parents $7,500 per child to pay for private school tuition; in addition to this, parents who choose to homeschool can apply for a $1,000 tax credit per child to pay for education-related expenses.

Verdict

Homeschooling is a beneficial and reliable form of education for children and adolescents. It educates students on mature social skills that prep them for their future, boosts family cohesion, advances academic achievement to a substantially above average level, is a flexible, customizable, and more focused form of education, especially for children with learning disabilities or ADHD, and has high rates for success in adulthood. So the real question isn’t why would you homeschool your kids? Why wouldn’t you homeschool your kids?